Nevin Manimala

J Imaging Inform Med. 2025 Jun 25. doi: 10.1007/s10278-025-01570-y. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Brain extraction is essential in neuroimaging studies for patient privacy and optimizing computational analyses. Manual creation of 3D brain masks is labor-intensive, prompting the development of automatic computational methods. Robust quality control (QC) is hence necessary for the effective use of these methods in large-scale studies. However, previous automated QC methods have been limited in flexibility regarding algorithmic architecture and data adaptability. We introduce a novel approach inspired by a statistical outlier detection paradigm to efficiently identify potentially erroneous data. Our QC method is unsupervised, resource-efficient, and requires minimal parameter tuning. We quantitatively evaluated its performance using morphological features of brain masks generated from three automated brain extraction tools across multi-institutional pre- and post-operative brain glioblastoma MRI scans. We achieved an accuracy of 0.9 for pre- and 0.87 for post-operative scans, thus demonstrating the effectiveness of our proposed QC tool for brain extraction. Additionally, the method shows potential for other tasks where a user-defined feature space can be defined. Our novel QC approach offers significant improvements in flexibility and efficiency over previous methods. It is a valuable tool, targeting reassurance of brain masks in neuroimaging and can be adapted for other applications requiring robust QC mechanisms.

PMID:40563038 | DOI:10.1007/s10278-025-01570-y

Ann Surg Oncol. 2025 Jun 25. doi: 10.1245/s10434-025-17691-1. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:40563032 | DOI:10.1245/s10434-025-17691-1

World J Urol. 2025 Jun 25;43(1):392. doi: 10.1007/s00345-025-05764-5.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate why retractions in academic literature have risen substantially, leading to rising concerns about research reliability and integrity. While retraction trends have been explored across disciplines, urology-specific factors remain underexamined. This study investigates 292 retracted urological publications from 2014 to 2024, focusing on open-access journals to analyze how publishing models influence retraction trends.

METHODS: A retrospective analysis of retracted urological publications was conducted using the PubMed database. The study employed 84 MeSH search terms to identify articles and categorize them by research type, journal impact factor, citation count, geographical distribution, and retraction reasons. Statistical analyses were performed to assess associations between retraction characteristics.

RESULTS: The most common reason for retraction (90.4%) was discrepancies in data availability or research description, with systematic publication manipulation accounting for 5.1%. The majority of retractions (84.5%) originated from China. Journals with higher impact factors exhibited longer recall times for retractions but no significant difference in citation count at recall.

CONCLUSION: This study highlights the increasing frequency of retractions in urology and identifies key factors influencing these trends. Geographic disparities, open-access models, and journal impact factors play significant roles. Addressing research integrity requires improved editorial oversight, standardized reporting guidelines, and enhanced detection of publication misconduct.

PMID:40563020 | DOI:10.1007/s00345-025-05764-5

Lasers Med Sci. 2025 Jun 26;40(1):302. doi: 10.1007/s10103-025-04555-z.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of neodymium-doped yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd: YAG) laser posterior capsulotomy on anterior segment parameters in pseudophakic eyes using ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM).

METHODS: This prospective study included 35 pseudophakic eyes of 34 patients with visually significant posterior capsule opacification (PCO) following uncomplicated phacoemulsification with a one-piece hydrophobic acrylic intraocular lens. UBM was used to assess anterior segment parameters, including anterior chamber angle (ACA), anterior chamber depth (ACD), anterior chamber width (ACW), lens vault (LV), and iris thickness (IT). The angle opening distances (AOD) at 500 μm (AOD500), and at 750 μm (AOD750), the angle recess area (ARA) at 500 μm (ARA 500), the trabecular-iris space area at 500 μm (TISA 500), and at 750 μm (TISA 750) were measured both temporal and nasal area. The measurements were taken three times, the first time before the Nd: YAG capsulotomy, the second time 1 week after and the third time 1 month after the procedure.

RESULTS: No statistically significant changes were found in intraocular pressure (IOP), central corneal thickness, ACD, ACW, LV, or IT following capsulotomy. However, a significant and sustained increase was observed in angle-related parameters (ACA, AOD500/750, ARA500, and TISA500/750) at both 1 week and 1 month post-procedure(p < 0.05 for all). No significant changes were detected between the 1st week and 1st month measurements of angle-related parameters (p > 0.05 for all).

CONCLUSION: Nd: YAG laser capsulotomy leads to significant widening of anterior chamber angle structures without affecting IOP or ACD. These findings suggest that the procedure is safe and may positively influence aqueous humor dynamics.

PMID:40563013 | DOI:10.1007/s10103-025-04555-z

Int J Colorectal Dis. 2025 Jun 26;40(1):146. doi: 10.1007/s00384-025-04908-8.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Tumor deposits (TD) are well-established prognostic markers in advanced-stage colorectal cancer (CRC), but their independent significance in early-stage disease remains unclear. Current staging systems do not account for TD in node-negative CRC, despite emerging evidence suggesting a potential impact on survival. This study aimed to assess the prognostic impact of TD in early-stage (T1-T3, N0) colon cancer using a large population-based cohort and advanced statistical methods.

METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the SEER database (2010-2021), including 111,106 patients with early-stage (T1-T3) colon cancer, of whom 4055 (3.6%) were TD-positive. To minimize baseline imbalances, propensity score matching (1:3 nearest-neighbor; caliper = 0.2) was applied. Overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) were assessed using the Kaplan-Meier analysis and compared with log-rank tests. Multivariate Cox regression was performed to evaluate the independent prognostic impact of TD status in both unmatched and matched cohorts.

RESULTS: TD-positive patients demonstrated significantly worse overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) compared to TD-negative patients (log-rank p < 0.001). In the unmatched cohort, TD positivity was independently associated with reduced OS (HR: 1.56, 95% CI: 1.48-1.65) and DSS (HR: 2.33, 95% CI: 2.14-2.54; both p < 0.001). These associations remained significant after propensity score matching (OS: HR: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.35-1.54; DSS: HR: 2.17, 95% CI: 1.97-2.40; both p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: TD is an independent prognostic factor in early-stage colon cancer, warranting closer surveillance and reconsideration of treatment strategies. These findings suggest that TD should be integrated into risk stratification models, challenging current staging paradigms.

PMID:40563004 | DOI:10.1007/s00384-025-04908-8

Eur J Orthop Surg Traumatol. 2025 Jun 25;35(1):279. doi: 10.1007/s00590-025-04384-4.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: We hypnoses that the DHS with adequate reduction is comparable to PFN as regard functional outcome and offers low cost especially in developing and low-income countries. However PFN has a faster radiological union. Does the DHS and PFN provide comparable clinical and functional outcome for unstable trochanteric fractures? This is the research question.

METHODS: This was a retrospective study of unstable trochanteric fractures (AO-classification: 31-A2) that were managed surgically at a university hospital between 2020 and 2023. All patients were scheduled for a follow-up review for at least 18 months after the operation. The data collected included age, sex, medical history, injury mechanism, and plain radiographs. We excluded patients who had pathological fractures other than osteoporosis and excluded also unstable trochanteric fractures type AO31A3.

RESULTS: A total of 240 individuals with unstable trochanteric fractures, including 82 patients who underwent DHS and 158 who underwent PFN, were included. There were 76 (31%) males and 82 (69%) females, with mean ages of 71.56 ± 10.93 in the PFN group, while the DHS group had 40 (48%) males and 42 (52%) females, with mean ages of 71.73 ± 11.13. In most patients (210 patients, 87.5%), closed reductions were used, whereas only 30 patients (12.5%) had open reductions. The PFN group had significantly less external blood loss during surgery (150 ± 24 ml) than did the other group (350 ± 65 ml) (P < 0.05). The average length of hospital-stay did not differ significantly between the two groups. The DHS group had a significantly longer operative time (65.8 ± 16.2) than did the PFN group (49.8 ± 12.5), (P > 0.05), while the PFN group had a significantly longer fluoroscopy time (7 ± 1.4 min) than did the DHS group (4.1 ± 1 min) (P < 0.05). The incision length was significantly shorter in the PFN group (7.5 ± 1.5 cm) than in the DHS group (12.8 ± 2.5) (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: In the management of unstable trochanteric fractures (AO 31-A2), both DHS and PFN are effective fixation devices that can provide satisfactory functional outcomes when proper surgical technique and accurate reduction are achieved. While PFN offers advantages such as reduced blood loss, shorter operative time, and earlier radiological union, DHS remains a viable option in appropriately selected cases, particularly in settings where resource limitations necessitate lower-cost alternatives. However, the success of DHS is highly dependent on achieving and maintaining an accurate anatomical reduction. Therefore, surgical decision-making should prioritize fracture pattern, surgeon expertise, and intraoperative reduction quality, rather than the cost or the type of the implant alone.

PMID:40562981 | DOI:10.1007/s00590-025-04384-4

Comput Biol Med. 2025 Jun 24;195:110577. doi: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2025.110577. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Precise histopathological assessment of pulmonary lesions in animal models is fundamental to evaluating COVID-19 interventions. The multifocal, heterogeneous distribution of SARS-CoV-2-induced pathology in rhesus macaques presents a critical challenge: balancing comprehensive evaluation against resource efficiency. No statistically-validated sampling optimization exists for this widely-used model. We hypothesized that lobe-specific, statistically-validated sampling thresholds could maintain assessment accuracy while significantly reducing analytical burden.

METHODS: We developed a semi-quantitative scoring system targeting interstitial pneumonia-the predominant histopathological feature in SARS-CoV-2-infected rhesus macaques (n = 12). Two ACVP board-certified pathologists independently evaluated 710-1634 high-power fields (40 × magnification) per animal across seven lung lobes, achieving substantial inter-rater reliability (Cohen’s κ = 0.74). To determine minimum sampling requirements maintaining statistical equivalence with comprehensive assessment, we employed bootstrapping simulation (10,000 iterations) combined with Two One-Sided Tests (TOST) equivalence analysis (bounds: ±0.25 pathology points).

RESULTS: Optimal sampling percentages exhibited significant lobe-specific variability: left caudal (25 %, p = 0.047), right caudal (30 %, p = 0.038), left/right proximal, (50 %, p = 0.044/p = 0.043), right accessory (50 %, p = 0.172), right middle (60 %, p = 0.049), and left middle (75 %, p = 0.084). Power analysis demonstrated robust detection capability (range: 0.45-0.72) at α = 0.05. These optimized parameters reduce required field assessments by 25-75 % while maintaining statistical equivalence.

CONCLUSION: This first anatomically-stratified, statistically-validated methodology significantly enhances histopathological assessment efficiency in the rhesus macaque COVID-19 model. By establishing lobe-specific minimum sampling thresholds that preserve statistical equivalence, our approach optimizes resource utilization while maintaining sensitivity to detect intervention effects, potentially accelerates preclinical therapeutic evaluations.

PMID:40561578 | DOI:10.1016/j.compbiomed.2025.110577

Comput Biol Med. 2025 Jun 24;195:110623. doi: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2025.110623. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The PhysioNet/Computing in Cardiology (CinC) Challenge 2016 dataset has driven significant advancements in automated heart sound analysis using machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL). However, these efforts are constrained by the dataset’s limited size and severe class imbalance, particularly the underrepresentation of coronary artery disease (CAD) cases. This study addresses these limitations by employing generative adversarial networks (GANs) to synthesize realistic CAD-like heart sound segments, augmenting existing datasets to improve classification performance. A Progressive Wasserstein GAN architecture was implemented to generate high-quality audio segments that accurately capture CAD heart sounds’ spectral and temporal characteristics. The quality of synthetic audio was assessed using the Fréchet Audio Distance (FAD), achieving scores of 1.43 and 2.23 when compared to reference CAD and healthy samples, respectively. Novel post-processing steps, including bandpass filtering, further enhanced the fidelity of the synthetic samples. By augmenting the imbalanced heart sound dataset with these samples, we observed substantial improvements in the performance of five classification models. The GAN-augmented training set outperformed traditional augmentation and cost-sensitive learning methods, demonstrating superior sensitivity, specificity, and precision. This study highlights the potential of GAN-based data augmentation to address critical challenges in medical audio datasets. It offers a scalable and cost-effective solution for improving the generalizability and robustness of heart sound classification models, paving the way for enhanced diagnostic tools in biomedical signal processing.

PMID:40561577 | DOI:10.1016/j.compbiomed.2025.110623

Comput Biol Med. 2025 Jun 24;195:110585. doi: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2025.110585. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This paper explores the finite-time stable behavior of interacting genetic regulatory networks (GRNs) incorporating spatial diffusion terms under Dirichlet boundary conditions. We propose a coupled model of interacting GRNs and a novel Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional to analyze the dynamic evolution of interactions between the two systems. The lower bound of the time delay can be either zero or non-zero. By employing a delay partitioning approach, we derive less conservative stability criteria for the interacting systems. Finally, numerical simulations are conducted, and the trajectories of mRNA and protein concentrations are provided to validate the accuracy of the proposed criteria.

PMID:40561573 | DOI:10.1016/j.compbiomed.2025.110585

Vaccine. 2025 Jun 24;61:127408. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127408. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: People without effective immunization are vulnerable to infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV). At present, there is no appropriate hepatitis B vaccination strategy for HBV-susceptible adults. We aim to assess the long-term effect of neonatal hepatitis B immunization and HBV markers among college students, so as to explore hepatitis B vaccination strategies suitable for high-risk group.

METHODS: The enrolled freshmen from four universities were initially tested for hepatitis B screening using colloidal gold test strips. Subjects with positive hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) or negative hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) were further confirmed using Abbott reagents. HBsAg and anti-HBs double negative individuals were administered hepatitis B vaccination.

RESULTS: Using Abbott reagents, we confirmed that among 3242 enrolled freshmen, 1604 (49.5 %) were negative for both HBsAg and anti-HBs, and 27 (0.8 %) were HBsAg-positive. Among the double negative freshmen, 1263 received hepatitis B vaccination. After the first and second dose of hepatitis B vaccine, the protective anti-HBs seroconversion rates reached 91.4 % and 98.5 %, respectively. Only one (0.1 %) freshman was still negative for anti-HBs after the third dose of hepatitis B vaccine. In addition, 96.3 % (104/108) of the fresmen who failed to achieve protective anti-HBs seroconversion after the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine had a baseline anti-HBs level < 2 mIU/mL.

CONCLUSION: The HBsAg prevalence among college students has been significantly reduced after the integration of hepatitis B vaccine into Expanded Program on Immunization, but the rate of seroprotective anti-HBs among these students remains low. Hepatitis B vaccination or booster dose is advised for a high-risk group who have negative anti-HBs, and two doses of hepatitis B vaccine are advised for those with anti-HBs < 2 mIU/mL.

PMID:40561569 | DOI:10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127408